Florida Shooting

[rwl1955]

This guy would be screwed in Mass.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/04/30/florida.shooting.law/index.html

 

[Blitz1]

Good for him, two more dirtbags off the street.

 

[MetalgodZ]

"Because his conduct caused her death, he gets charged with a felony," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.

If he knew, then that's the way it ought to be. Not sure if the charge ought to be murder, but at least it won't turn out the way it would in MA.

 

[doobie]

If he knew, then that's the way it ought to be. Not sure if the charge ought to be murder, but at least it won't turn out the way it would in MA.

Why not? His (or their) actions caused her death. If he didn't he shouldn't be charged with murder? So if I drive my car and hit and kill someone and didn't realize it I shouldn't be charged with murder?

 

[cekim]

Boy, that's one of the most blatantly biased CNN articles I have seen in a while...

What part of the "Felony Murder" Law does he not understand?

 

[ztargetshooter]

Why aren't there any bullet holes in the glass on the drivers side? The SUV apparently stops right in front of him, appears to start moving forward, and he can't even hit the drivers side glass?

 

[mikem317]

Sweet. The owner who successfully defended the theft of his property should send an invoice to the other perp for the shot-out windshield, the upholstery cleaning, the bullets spent on defending his property.

Of course, Handgun Control Inc. has the rear their ugly head on this:

"The shoot-first law is not needed," said Brian Malte of the Brady Campaign. "This person, regardless of the situation, may have done the right thing, but he cannot be prosecuted for doing something wrong if he hit an innocent bystander," he said.

It's not "shoot-first"! The man was being robbed! And yes, if the property owner hit an innocent bystander, he would and should be prosecuted! But this didn't happen! Why the f*** are they even mentioning this?

 

[Smiles1014]

What I got out of it was he saw the woman reaching out her window and he thought it might be a gun, so he shot on that side. It also states the truck was moving towards him and he must have thought the 'gun' was a bigger threat than the truck at the time. That is reasonable because he can always move out of the way of the oncoming truck...who knows...

 

[MassMark]

Looks like Nikki was no stranger to law enforcement. If the charges stick to her boyfriend - two scumbags off the street for the price of one. As to the hits on the passengers side instead of the drivers, it was before dawn, so the Mr. Jones likely could not see her in the passenger seat and may have been firing a warning shot, or was just loaded with adrenaline and poor marksmanship was a result. My sympathies go out to him - for he has to live with his actions and to the family of Nikki - who may, (or may not) have loved her. I have zero sympathy for her or her beau - karma is a bitch sometimes....

 

[cekim]

It's not "shoot-first"! The man was being robbed!

And they were driving toward him... With a lethal weapon (car). A police officer would be perfectly justified doing the same...

 

[MetalgodZ]

Why not? His (or their) actions caused her death. If he didn't he shouldn't be charged with murder? So if I drive my car and hit and kill someone and didn't realize it I shouldn't be charged with murder?

I didn't mean he shouldn't be charged with a felony, I just meant that I'm not sure it meets the statute for murder versus manslaughter - voluntary or involuntary - or something else.

 

[JoseyWales]

I thought the chances of a 9mm penetrating a car windshield are not that good? I wonder how close he was to the car?

 

[terraformer]

I thought the chances of a 9mm penetrating a car windshield are not that good? I wonder how close he was to the car?

No, they penetrate but they deflect, tumble and lose energy. The lighter the mass of the bullet, the greater the deflection. Based on some experimentation posted somewhere on the intertubes, when shooting from outside in aim low. Inside out of the car aim high.

 

[GSG]

And yes, if the property owner hit an innocent bystander, he would and should be prosecuted! But this didn't happen! Why the f*** are they even mentioning this?

They're making it out like the girlfriend was an innocent bystander.

 

[terraformer]

They're making it out like the girlfriend was an innocent bystander.

People have trouble wrapping their brain around the idea that girlfriends of thieving scum fall far short of little angels themselves. I am not going to sit here and assume she was scum or a saint and I will add she was not in control of the truck. But those facts do not absolve her of the fact that she most likely willingly went with him to steal the truck and placed herself into a bad situation. She didn't deserve to die, but she is no innocent and the shooter shouldn't be charged. Although I will say that I think a better shot would have been on the driver regardless of our current hindsight. That would have stopped the clear and undisputed threat.

 

[GSG]

Based on what I read I agree with you 100%, the girl was in the wrong place during the wrong felony.

But it's like that saying "play stupid games, win stupid prizes."

I don't think anyone deserves to die for stealing property, but with that said, I don't think any lawful property owner should have a "duty to retreat" when trying to stop crimes committed against them on their own property.

But to the Brady Bunch it's murder because someone died after being shot with a gun.